Broken Clockwork
by The Insignia of Omega Alpha
Summary: Families are like clocks, they all flow in rhythmic pattern, whether it be chaotic, or peaceful. Naruto, however, was the one piece that was carelessly tossed out, to focus on his sister, the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki. What his family didn't know, was that they pushed away the glue, that held them together.
1. Ignorance Is Not Always Bliss

_**Hey guys!**_

_**Brand new story! Unfortunately updates will come at a CRAWLING pace.**_

_**As I said in Changed Paths: Part II, a close friend died a while ago, so I adopted her 6 year old daughter.**_

_**Now, I'm a 22 year old college student, balancing out my own tuition, to help pay her costs.**_

_**I, uh, went back to a pure-ramen diet for a while, so she could actually get healthy food. -_-**_

_**Thanks to a friend, though, he got us a place to stay in his family's old house. It's dusty, kinda creepy, and barely has lighting...but it's got plumbing, electricity, and air-conditioning, plus we don't have to pay rent, which is now saving me enough money to actually buy us food, gas, some new furniture, and other shit.**_

_**My only access to internet is either the library, the lab at college, or my phone...so yeah, I'm gonna be slow on the stories.**_

_**I know she isn't mine, biologically, but damn it makes me feel amazing when she smiles at me, and laughs.**_

_**I figure this is what it would've been like if my dad was there for me growing up.**_

_**Meh, anyway, enjoy the story!**_

_**Please review!**_

_**I apologize for the abrupt ending, it'll be resolved in Chapter Two!**_

_**Chapter Version: 1.2.1**_

_**(Corrections revised and new content added). June 23, 2013.**_

_**I've decided to take a new approach to the story.**_

_**Instead of instantly adding chapters after each update, I'll work on, and collectively fix each previous chapter, before actually updating the next one.**_

_**This way, if I develop newer ideas along the way, I can flexibly add them.**_

_**I updated the Naruto-Kabuto conversation, in this case.**_

What is a family?

What distinguishes a family from, say, a group of friends? Perhaps, from an alliance between strangers?

He used to ask himself that every night, when he was little. No older then six or seven years.

It was ironic, really, because of the fact that he was supposed to be part if this picture-perfect family. The diamond-sketched household of Konoha, that everybody looked up to; a few even blindly worshipping.

But they just never saw the broken gears, that cursed a seemingly-intricate clock.

After all, his father was never truly around for him, as neither was his mother.

_Father...Mother..._

The words rang hollow in his mind, despite the painstakingly massive desire to fill them with love and affection.

The same love and affection he often saw other parents give their children. The love and affection his parents gave to his younger sister, but not him.

His father, he understood, was the Hokage, a legendary hero to the village of Konoha. A fact that he and his sister, Narumi, once took pride in.

She still did.

He didn't.

The ugly truth was that, through his heroic actions, and self-less sacrifices, all in the name of Konoha and it's denizens...he had inadvertently given up one important thing.

_His _childhood.

Ever since they were little, when they were told that the Kyuubi had been sealed into Narumi, prior to their birth; Narumi had been givem preferential treatment.

Their parents trained her, leaving him to study basic scrolls on his known, often absent-mindedly dismissing him, in order to hone Narumi's skills. Everytime they finished, they would tell him the same excuse, that they were tired and could pick up the next day.

Only, instead of picking up, they merely repeated the process.

It sickened him, in all honesty.

**You know, not that many ten-year olds have depressing thoughts like these...it's making me suicidal...**

Ah, the Kyuubi.

His emotional outlet, and the only pers-...entity, that he trusted. It was ironic, how the one thing that the village hated and feared, the one demon that his parents worked so hard to defeat...was locked within him.

At least, his mental conscious, anyhow.

Narumi held the actual chakra of the demon.

_Sorry, Kurama-san...I forget you can hear me completely..._

**You know, gaki, if you're so damn tired if this, why not run away?**

_And then? What do I do after that? Wander around, like a lost beggar? I need a plan for that to work, one that would take weeks, if not months, to plan and prepare for...no, I want to, but not without a plan..._

**For a mere pup of a monkey, you possess more intuition and foresight, then most humans twice you're age...I'm moderately disappointed...**

_Because I'm better then them?_

**No, because a mere child is more emotionally mature, then the adults...it's pathetic, really...**

_Oh, well...thank you?_

**You're welcome, monkey-boy.**

_Casting all praise aside...what should I do?_

**About?**

_Running away, what should I do? I won't lie, Kurama-san...the prospect of a new independent life is...well...rather beautiful..._

**Oh, er, well...lay low for now, pup...actually, don't you have a graduation ceremony to attend?**

Mentally slapping himself, Naruto shot up from his bed, sitting up, standing up, leaping towards the closet, and opening it; all in one fluid motion.

"I'm going to be late! he yelled, pulling out a clean white T-shirt, putting on a white hoodie, navy stripes running down the sleeves. He then changed from his pants into a pair of dark navy-blue cargo shorts, before putting on his socks and shinobi boots.

"Agh! I'm going to be late!" he shouted once more, grabbing his kunai and shuriken pouches, as he leapt out of his window.

Kurama sighed inwardly.

**Bah, I'm getting soft...hmm...still, the boy possesses a certain talent...he could become more powerful then even his father, that damned Yondaime...and he's all mine to shape and mold to my own liking...I love how these humans are so easy to influence, when they're young...but still, I need to find a way to re-connect myself again...I'm sure given time, Naruto will help me...heheheh...**

"Hey, Kushina...where's Naruto? I thought he was with you?" asked Minato, as he crossed his arms, sitting down in the front row of the Academy graduation ceremony.

Kushina raised an eyebrow, before she began thinning to herself, looking back at him.

"He took a nap, but I told you to wake him up, so he wouldn't be late...you told him, right, Minato?" she replied, her voice taking a calm, but lethal tone.

The blonde Hokage nodded, praying he had...he couldn't remember honestly, but if Naruto didn't show up, he'd have to figure out how to make it up to both his son and wife.

"Kushina-chan! Minato-san!" cried a young boy, his raven hair waving in the breeze, he tan towards the pair. Minato smiled, high-giving the young boy, as Kushina hugged him.

"Sasuke! You've grown up! So hows my favorite nephew doing!?" she beamed, as the Uchiha grinned sheepishly, scratching his head.

"Ahh-haha...I've done better, but I got second place overall, right behind Narumi...she's so awesome! Why can't you two train me like that!?" he asked loudly, but happily.

Minato laughed, patting Sasuke's head, before giving him a thumbs up.

"Well, if I ever find a good shinobi to succeed me as Hokage, I might take up to teaching ninja again" he replied, drawing a wider grin from the Uchiha.

"Don't raise his hopes too high, Minato, I don't want him thinking he's the next Hokage without working for it" started a voice behind them.

Minato turned around, his face blank, as he looked at the source of the statement.

"Oh, come on, loosen up a bit, Fugaku...I don't want to lose one of my advisors, from a stroke" he joked, as the Uchiha leader shrugged.

"So I hear that your kids graduated, and with flying colors, too" he said, drawing a raised eyebrow from both Minato and Kushina.

"Flying colors?...but...Naruto's never showed us his report card...how'd you know?" asked Kushina, as Mikoto arrived.

"Naruto's grades?...he showed us just the other day, when he came to visit Itachi...you would think they were like twins, he's always following Itachi when he can...actually, Itachi was training him the other day...said Naruto wanted to learn to improve his taijutsu" she answered, adding a few details, shocking the Namikaze family.

"I've been busy with paperwork after we caught that Genin working with Orochimaru, Kabuto, I think...I didn't know Itachi was teaching him in his free time...I'll have to see what Naruto knows, I'm rather impressed...and he excelled in his classes? Why didn't he tell us?" asked Minato, as Mikoto turned away, ushering Sasuke towards the graduation stage.

Fugaku shrugged, scratching his head.

"I wouldn't know...he reminds me of Itachi, more relaxed and easy-going...but he comes from an Itachi-mold nonetheless..." replied Fugaku, hoping the lie worked.

The last thing he needed was Minato causing a scene over the truth...

_**Flashback:**_

_"So how's the ramen noodles, Naruto?" asked Mikoto, as she sat down, serving Itachi and Fugaku, who was reading a newspaper at full attention._

_Naruto happily nodded, giving the Uchiha matriarch a thumbs up, as she blushed._

_She had always figured Kushina was the better cook._

_"It's awesome, Mikoto-san! You're an amazing chef!" he laughed, drawing a smile from Mikoto and Itachi._

_Despite his best attempt to hide it, Fugaku felt a small twitch at the corner of his mouth._

_That kid had the uncanny ability of drawing even atomic ounces of happiness from the depressed people._

_"Hai, thank you, Naruto-kun...we ran out of chicken, and the meat stall was closed, so I used beef, is that okay?"_

_Naruto once again nodded, bowing his head._

_"Yes, it's okay! Besides, you offered me free dinner, so I can't really complain!" he smiled._

_Fugaku nodded from behind his paper._

_Damn, he loved this kid's personality._

_"Naruto, how did your practice go today? I hear you finally got the chakra-concentration...how far did you get?" asked Itachi, causing Fugaku and Mikoto to eye Naruto in surprise._

_"Chakra concentration? You're learning that already, Naruto-kun? Isn't that supposed to be until you join a Genin team? That's at least a few years away!" exclaimed Mikoto, as Fugaku nodded in agreement._

_"It is true, Naruto...how long have you been practicing it? Most Academy students can't manage that yet"_

_"He's only been taught it yesterday" answered Itachi, drawing a suspicious stare from his parents. The Uchiha prodigy merely shrugged._

_"Call him my protegé" he said, as Mikoto shook her head._

_"Why not ask your father to train you, Naruto-kun? He must have time, right?" she asked, before Naruto looked down sadly._

_"He spends most of his time training Narumi...most of what I know is either self-taught, or something that Itachi taught me..."_

_Fugaku cast the other two Uchiha a careful gaze, practically asking,_

_**We have to talk to Minato about this.**_

_They both nodded._

_"Have you tried talking to them?" asked Mikoto, knowing that his family was obviously started to place more priority on Narumi, due to her condition._

_It wouldn't end good, and she knew first hand what could happen to a child, if there wasn't enough care in their life._

_Itachi was proof of that, and it had taken him years to regain his sense of emotions._

_"It's okay, Naruto-kun...it's getting late, so why don't you stay here for the night, you can share bunk beds with Itachi" she smiled. Naruto nodded, rubbing his eyes as he yawned._

_Itachi stood up, carrying the small ten-year-old upstairs, to tuck him in._

_Watching the two disappear, Fugaku and Mikoto sighed._

_"You know, he's drifting away from his family it seems..."_

_"...we can't let them know...we'll give the boy recluse, but they have to fix this as a family..._

**Flashback: End.**

"So...do you know who is leading each team?" asked Kushina, as she looked at Narumi, who was across the stage, happily talking to Sakura and Ino.

"Yes, there's for...but I only that Kakashi, Asuma, and Kurenai are each leading Teams Seven, Ten, and I think Eight...I don't know who's leading Team Two, though...I heard that the Jonin personally requested just one student...I granted permission, on the grounds it's not Narumi..." answered Minato, smiling at Kakashi, who waved back from across the field.

Kushina nodded, smiling in relief.

"Good, Kakashi will probably have chosen Naruto and Narumi, along with Sasuke" she sighed, much to Mikoto's slight irritation.

_Planning your kids' future?...Kushina, please don't repeat Fugaku and I's mistakes..._

"Naruto-baka! You're late!" exclaimed Narumi, as the blonde boy landed a few feet away. Minato looked at him, before shaking his head.

He could have sworn that he saw a cold look in his son's eyes...

"Yo, Sasuke" grinned Naruto, ignoring Narumi's exclamation altogether.

The Uchiha, however, merely grunted.

"Hn"

Naruto merely shrugged, walking past him and Narumi, without even glancing at either of them.

A fact that neither the Namikaze, nor the Uchiha, family missed.

"What is wrong with them? They need to show manners!" huffed Kushina, frowning at her childrens' behavior.

Fugaku, however, nudged his head, making sure Mikoto saw him.

Naruto was turning away from his family...quicker then they thought.

"So who do you think got put in what team?" asked Kiba, as he scratched his head, trying to guess who would go with who.

"Heheh, I don't know, and as long as I'm with Sasuke-kun, it's all good" giggled Sakura, as Ino nodded in agreement.

Narumi and Sasuke were too busy focusing on Naruto, however, to even listen to the pinkette's words. They were using every ounce to observe him, taking note of how he constantly distanced himself from the group as a whole.

"Do you think something is wrong with him?" asked Sasuke, glancing at Narumi, who shook her head.

"No, this is normal for him...although he seems more impassive today, but it could be graduation..." she replied, tossing her red hair to the side, as she continued observing her older brother.

_Naruto...you're not a normal boy...why can't you just be like a regular brother? Argue with me, tease me about some flaw...anything...I want a true family...and it's like I'm a step away from it, yet that last step is like a mile...maybe if I hadn't bragged about how mom and dad used to always pay attention to me...is it my fault? Am I to blame for what you are now?...I probably am...alright, I'll fix it then! I'll make sure mom and dad see you! I'm going to become Hokage, and I want you there, proud of me!_

"You seem troubled, Narumi...what is it?"

The young Namikaze daughter sighed, before smiling at the Uchiha, giving him a thumbs up.

"Nothing, Sasuke, it's alright" she smiled, bringing forth a nod from him.

"Class! Get ready! Team announcements are about to be declared!" shouted Iruka, as the group of children instantly lined up in a straight file.

Almost immediately, the surrounding crowd fell silent.

A few parents were eager to see who their children would be training with.

"Alright! Team Ten! Training under Sarutobi Asuma, is...Nara Shikamaru! Akimichi Chouji! And Yamanaka Ino!"

Naruto closed his eyes, yawning, as Ino scowled, upset at her luck of missing a team with Sasuke.

_Eh, good riddance_

"Okay!...Team 8! Under leadership of Yuuhi Kurenai! are...Hyuuga Hinata! Aburame Shino! And Inuzuka Kiba!"

"Whoo! I'm on a team!" roared Kiba, before being hit in the head with a rock.

"Shut it, Kiba! You're representing our clan! Don't look like a kid that barely passed!" yelled Tsume, his mother.

Naruto bit back a laugh.

Hell, it was funny, he had to admit.

"And for Team Seven, under guidance if Hatake Kakashi!...Haruno Sakura! Uchiha Sasuke!...and...Namikaze Narumi!"

Widening his eyes in shock, Naruto looked at Narumi, who was busy hugging Sakura and Sasuke, as she waved at their family.

That was it.

He was overlooked.

He didn't have a team.

None.

No sensei.

No teammates.

"Tch!" he scowled, tears forming at his eyes, as he turned away, walking off the stage.

He didn't even bother paying attention to his mother yelling his name.

He just wanted to forget it all.

"Damn, so he got overlooked? That's pretty harsh" started a woman, as she cast a gaze at the young blonde boy storming off.

He quickly leaped onto a tree branch, zooming off in a blur.

He had speed.

"Yes, perhaps...but we need that child, if we're going to go through with this plan...after all, you want you're revenge, correct?"

"...fine, I'll keep an eye on him and anybody near him"

**You know, it's not like you would've really reached good potential with those teams, brat**

Naruto nodded, knowing the fix was telling the truth.

_Still, after the work I put in, I at least expected to have a team...so much for that..._

**Why not train alone? Make your own name, your own reputation?**

_It doesn't work like that, though_

**Never said it had to be here, though**

_It's not that simple, though...I'm still the Hokage's son, and if I go missing, then they'll send the Anbu after me...and I doubt I can outrun them, when their actually trying_

**Well, what about inside help?**

_What do you mean?_

**There's bound to be somebody here, at a decent position, that wants to leave...if they help you, we might be able to escape**

_No person here, with a decent position of influence would wish to leave, honestly...hmm...but somebody who has a criminal record might..._

**What do you mean? What are you planning?**

_A few days ago, my father caught a young man posting as a Genin, who was working for Orochimaru...Kabuto, I think..._

**One minor detail, my genius imbecile of a carrier...he's been CAUGHT**

_Well, it's up to us to fix that error, huh?_

**You want to break out a high-security prisoner, whos been working for a man who is amongst the Most Wanted, in the Land of For? Won't that be betraying your father? That puts US in a high-probability of death. I won't do it.**

_You're right...it would crush my father's conscious and possibly shatter his happiness..._

**What?...**

_Why, he might even curse the Kyuubi for having ruined his perfect life..._

**...**

_He might even be forced into hiding from the shame, and-_

**Lets fucking do this!**

Inwardly grinning at himself, for the creative use of reverse-psychology and manipulation of emotion, Naruto stood up, turning towards the village again.

"Alright...prisoner hours are between five and six...that gives me a one hour window...but I have to cancel my father's Hiraishin No Jutsu, so he can't immediately appear at the scene...but to do that, I'd have to find either mom or Jiraiya...hmm...unless I get Kabuto out of the cell, with the guards' approval! I pose as my father, order a lone interrogation with Kabuto, use that time to formulate a plan, distract the guards' attention while he escapes!"

**For a depressed human, you're rather cunning, gaki...I'll admit that**

"Well...this certainly isn't what I planned, when I came to instigate a rebellion...but it's close enough, I assume" sighed Kabuto, as he stepped over the unconscious body of Kotetsu.

Naruto shrugged, as he began rewinding the security tape, quickly deleting the escape footage.

"Alright, Kabuto...you'll keep your side of the bargain, correct?" asked Naruto, stunning the silver-haired teen.

"You know, were you anybody other then the Yondaime's son...I would've killed you by now, but...being who you are, yes, I'll take you to Orochimaru...though, I am curious why you wish to see him, of all people..." he replied.

Naruto smiled, before laughing softly.

"That's simple, really"

"Oh?"

"Yes, it is...I want to kill my sister"

Kabuto let out an exasperated groan, before rolling his eyes.

"To hell with you, then! The last thing I want, or need, is another one of you emotionally-crippled brats!"

Naruto shrugged, before turning away and making out of the main window.

"Eh, alright, so maybe I over-exaggerated on that, but either way, I simply need her out of my life"

Kabuto felt himself mentally smirk, his previous bad mood suddenly gone.

So, he could use the kid's emotional instability against him? Easy.

"Well, in that case...the way I see it...maybe joining Orochimaru would work to your benefit?"

"How so?"

"Simple, really...he can help train you, make you reach your true potential, actually"

Naruto scoffed, not bothering with the thought.

"Of course, but so could any high profile ninja, give me a good reason, now"

Kabuto sighed.

The kid wasn't all that stupid, after all

"Why leave your sister in the past, or kill her, when you could humiliate her? Defeat her, and force her to live with the shame, that if she had treated you better, allowed you to recieve love, she could have escaped this fate"

Naruto closed his eyes, thinking over the proposition.

_I can join the most wanted traitor in Konoha history, forever shunning aside my ties to the village...and in return, I surpass my family, and force their blind eyes to see what they created?...it's what I've wanted for so long, but...it's like something is different from what I imagined...like something is stopping me..._

**Anybody can talk of hurting, and killing, boy...but to actually do it, is another case on its own.**

_What do you mean?_

**As much as I hate your father for sealing me away, I cannot deny that you are much safer under his care...even if he barely manages to notice you as it is...**

_Are you saying I should stay?_

**I'm not saying what you should do, I'm saying that once you make either decision, there is no turning back. This is not a game, in which you can restart at a good point.**

_I...I...I understand..._

Opening his eyes, he stared at Kabuto, who stood in total silence, awaiting the boy's decision.

"Well? What's your answer?"

_This is it...if I go, I can never come back...I'll be a nuke-nin for the rest of my life..._

"...let's go...my father makes his usual visits here in about six minutes, and he placed seals all over the village..."

"We have six minutes to clear out of the village? That's impossible, with security as what it will be

"Well, I guess we better hurry up then, huh?"

Kabuto sighed, before nodding.

Better to escape while his luck was good.

**So much for weeks, possibly months, of planning, Uzumaki...**

_Shut it, Kurama...so is this it? I can't turn back, now?_

**You made your choice, so you'll have to live with the consequences...but, yes, that is correct...you passed the line-of-no-return. Although, I can't say whether to be proud or worried about our safety now.**

_Well...I guess this is the start of a new life...I wonder if Narumi'll be happy she doesn't have me in her life, now..._


	2. First Steps, and a Story

**What's up?**

**Before I go into detail, thank you to all the reviewers! Seriously, they inspired me to continue with the story!...plus my adopted daughter liked reading them...**

**As I said, updates are slow, since I'm barely into my final semester, and I'm already a "father". Anyway, I visited my friend's grave and I guess it helped me decide to really finish this story, and break that curse of incompleted Abandoned-Naruto fics.**

**Also, I wrote this while listening to pure 90s rap...mainly the songs "Today Was A Good Day" by Ice Cube, and "To Live And Die In LA" plus, "Dear Mama" by Tupac Shakur.**

**Also, I have nobody as a Beta, and I write this on my PHONE...so go easy on the grammatical shit...thank you!**

**Anyway, enjoy!**

**No, this is not a rap fanfic.**

_**"My mother used to tell me, that if I couldn't find a reason worth living for...to find a goal worth dying for" - Tupac Shakur**_

*Eight Years Later*

[Konoha High-Security Prison Center]

"You know, for a missing ninja, who isn't even close to twenty yet, you were quite the burden to capture...although your little story explains why Naruto ran away, and was reported along with many Orochimaru sightings...so tell me, how did you come to the level of ability, in which you managed to hold your own against me?" sighed a tall figure, his spiky hair outlined by the dim light of the interrogation room.

You could just barely make out the color, but the even then you could tell it was a pure-snow white. It then followed down his back, in a long pony-tail fashion.

"What can I say? I was trained by a powerful woman" shrugged a figure from across the room.

Having been initially judged by her voice, the figure was obviously a young adolescent in her late teens, close to twenty, possibly.

"Alright, quite the smart ass comedian, aren't you? Who exactly trained you? You've told us that it was a woman I once knew...but to be quite frank, that narrows down very little candidates..." replied the original figure, leaning in to show his face.

The hidden girl, however, merely shook her head, as she leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms. She could've been a nervous wreck, but her impassive, yet disturbingly tranquil, demeanor was as set as a block of chakra-focused steel.

"Now, Jiraiya...you should show manners...all in due time, I will answer your questions...now, how much time are you allowed in here?" asked the teen, yawning in earnest.

Jiraiya felt his eye twitch, before shaking it off.

_I need to get the information..._

"As long as I need be, with whatever means I deem necessary" he answered, drawing a nod from the young woman.

"Okay, just wanted to know...so, ask away"

"Alright, let's start off first, with how your organization managed to capture Naruto! Why do you need jinchuuriki? Where are the captured jinchuuriki? Why wage war against all the Five Great Villages? How did you manage to hold together such a massive spy network? Who are your spy agents? Do you even know them? Who are all your members? What is the purpose of Akatsuki? Why are they now at war with Hoshoku? What is Hoshoku? Who's its founder?"

"Yo!..jeez, calm down!...ugh, give me some time to reply, at least..." groaned the teen, as she scratched her head, before letting out a long sigh. "Fine, let's start with the easiest...Hoshoku, is an organization that was founded upon Pein-sama's death...it was created, in an effort to hunt down the Akatsuki"

"Wait, why? Wasn't Pein, as you call him, the leader of Akatsuki? That answer makes little sense"

"Well, if you let me finish, it would!...where was I?...oh right! Hoshoku was meant to hunt down the remaining Akatsuki members, which were listed as Kisame, Satori, Deidara, Zetsu, Hidan, and Kakuzu...along with a few...more interesting members..."

"You're referring to the revived shinobi?"

"Precisely"

"How was it, that Akatsuki managed to revive Tobirama Senju?"

"Well, for starters, you have Naruto and Narumi to thank for that...or at least managing to prevent any other more powerful shinobi from being reborn as an physical slave enemy..."

"On that note, how is Naruto tied to Hoshoku?"

"Simple, actually...he's our founder"

"WHAT?!"

"Did you honestly think he was some innocent child, who was CAUGHT by enemy shinobi?"

"But...but...we didn't think he wou-"

"Would ever be able to orchestrate one of the most dangerous shinobi organizations in history? You'll have to get in line, Jiraiya...lots of people underestimated his prowess..."

That single statement was enough to draw the sage's attention.

"What do you mean?"

"Naruto was always a step ahead of you and Konoha...truth be told, he was even, in rare moments, ahead of Pein..."

"How did Naruto become an ally to Pein?"

At that very question, the young woman let out a Cheshire-like grin, as she chuckled softly.

"Now THAT, is the question I've been waiting for...with that, I can answer all your questions...prepare to continue our little story"

"Continue?..."

"Yes, time to continue the story of Naruto Uzumaki! Told by yours truly, Tayuya Uzumaki!"

"Wait, what do you mean by Tayuya Uzum-"

"Shut up and listen, I won't repeat myself more then once...where did I leave off?"

"Naruto was escaping with Kabuto..."

"Oh right, that's where everything changed! He never actually managed to meet the snake-freak, to be honest"

"Wait, what do you mean? He was constantly seen with him! I literally have dozens of reports, in which Naruto was directly assisting him!"

"Calm down, let me explain, damn!...he didn't actually meet him, at that point...that's when Konan-sensei found him, much to Kabuto's misfortune"

"What do you mean, his misfortune?..."

"Well, let me explain it..."

"Wait, KONAN? No, I thought she was dead!"

Tayuya scoffed, rolling her eyes in irritation.

"Thought?...or hoped? You Konoha residents tend to have a habit of feigning responsibility for your own subordinates, even when they're allegedly...close to you..."

"...just start the story..."

*Back to Present Time*

"W-wh-who are you?" stuttered the small blonde eleven-year old Uzumaki, as he stumbled backwards; falling on his rear, directly into the dirt.

She had seemingly appeared from the midst of thin air, in a swirling blur of paper. Knocking out Kabuto, a feat that Naruto would've struggled to accomplish with his abilities, in one swift motion. The silver-haired assistant to Orochimaru was never even given the chance to utter a sound.

Now he, Naruto, was staring directly into her cold, unforgiving amber-hued irises.

_I think I want to vomit..._

"Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze, I presume?" asked the mystery woman, not bothering to blink even once.

"Y-Yes..."

_Oh Kami, here it comes..._

"Shut up, and stay put...move from where you stand, and I'll kill yo-"

Before the woman could finish, Naruto bent over to his side, heaving everything he had eaten for lunch, prior to leaving the village.

It had been one thing to claim his bluff over Kabuto, but with a true shinobi emanating her intent to kill, just feet from you...it was on an entirely different level.

It was not something he could hide.

"...pathetic..." scowled the woman, turning away from him.

"You're obviously not the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki...you can't even hold your stead against a simple gaze"

"Wh-what do...y-you...know about...Ku-Kurama...?" asked Naruto, as he spat out the remaining vomit from his mouth, wiping away the sour and bitter liquid from his chin.

The woman froze in mid-step, not even moving her chest to breathe.

"...what did you just say?"

Looking up at her from his feeble position, Naruto took a few deep breaths, regaining a little of his normal composure.

_D-dang...that was a wake up call..._

**Watch it, boy...don't reveal so much vital information to that woman. She isn't a regular kunoichi, she even reacted specifically to my name...any human that holds that information, without my knowledge, isn't somebody to take lightly...**

_R-right..._

"Ku-Kurama...y-you mentioned the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki...wh-why are you looking for...them..."

**Good, don't reveal your sister's name, or even her gender...it's the only leverage we have as of now...**

"That's right, you're the Yondaime's first child, his son, aren't you? You know who the jinchuuriki is, don't you?" replied the woman, drawing a step closer to him.

Naruto nodded, before scurrying away from her, the fear from her first approach fresh on his mind.

**Now you see what a true shinobi can do to you, child**

_Wh-what?_

**She hasn't even laid a finger on you, yet you move away from her like a frightened mouse from a prowling cat...pathetic**

Naruto bit his lip, pushing back a tear, as he shut his eyes tightly, realizing the helplessness of his position in the situation.

"What is wrong?..." asked the woman, her eyes having softened considerably.

It was a strange, and rather nostalgic, sight.

For years, she had been in the same form as the boy at her feet, curled up in fright at the presence of a more terrifying human being.

She had despised them, the ones who frightened and terrorized the weaker, for no true purpose.

And for this single moment, she had become one.

"I apologize"

Naruto looked back up, seeing her once cold face, warn up into a rather black expression.

She was holding out her hand, to help him stand up.

He took it.

"I apologize for the unnecessary act of cruelty, and for the derogatory remark to your situation" she continued, never once breaking her mask of indifference.

Naruto merely nodded, before gasping softly as the woman picked him up, tossing him over her back in a piggy-back fashion.

_Dad hasn't held me like this in years..._

"Wh-where are we going?..." he asked, looking back at Kabuto's limp form.

"To take you back to your village"

"Wh-what!? No!"

The woman immediately came to halt, turning her head slightly to look at him, causing him to gulp.

"Why not? It is your home village, is it not?"

"Yes- I mean no! I don't have anybody there!"

"You have a family, do you not? You're the Hokage's son, you most likely having children lining up to be your friends"

"N-no!...I'm not really popular...my sister is, but not me...besides, that'd simply be political affiliation...not real friendship..."

The woman raised an eyebrow, a but surprised at the boy's use of words.

"Not many children would come to that conclusion"

"Not many children spend countless hours reading and teaching themselves, because their parents are too busy with their daughter..."

"You're family ignores you?"

This had truly caught her by surprise, as many people outside Konoha had envisioned, and envied, the Namikaze family as picture perfect.

"Yeah..that's why I ran away...there's no family...not for me, anyway..."

Much to the shock of the young boy, Naruto felt the woman turn away from their former direction, instead heading West.

"Where are we going?..."

"To Amegakure...and call me Konan...Naruto"

Naruto nodded, accidentally letting out a small yawn, as he rested his head on Konan's shoulders.

It was most likely already midnight, and he was quickly growing tired.

"...goodnight..." he whispered, half-asleep.

Konan merely gazed in his direction, before waking onward, grabbing his legs behind her back, so he didn't fall off.

She wasn't one for emotional salutations, much less a casual 'goodnight'.

Politics, as in all things relating to government, and the management of others...tended to be drowned in volatile situations. Whether it was one person grumbling about dissatisfaction, chaining a wave of complaints...to an escaped criminal, who followed up by kidnapping your only son.

It all caused headaches...and a severe stab wound to your insecurity as a Hokage, and even more so, as a father to your child.

"This is beyond horrible...if the public finds out that one of Orochimaru's subordinates broke free, and took Naruto...they'll cause a riot...if word gets out to the other villages, our security will become the laughing stock..." sighed Kakashi, as he rubbed his temples in exasperation.

"They couldnt have gone far, though, Kakashi-senpai...judging from the camera footage, or lack thereof, Kabuto most likely broke out no more then...an hour ago, took Naruto, then erased the tapes for whatever reason he had" stated Itachi, as he walked down the dark corridor, alongside Minato and Kakashi.

As the trip made their way downwards, into the abysmal hallways, Kakashi came to a halt.

"Wait...why would Naruto even be down here, in the first place? Not only that, but how did Kabuto escape the guard's attention? Kabuto couldn't have honestly managed all this by himself..."

As the Senior Chief-in-Command Anbu Captain, and Yondaime's Primary Advisor, Kakashi had come to take a certain sense of pride in his ability to spot even the most remote details in a situation.

Itachi, however, had his own suspicions about what had happened.

And neither Minato, not Kakashi could know about it.

"Are you saying that Naruto might have had a role in the escape of Kabuto, Kakashi-senpai? Let's remember, that being charged with the aiding of a criminal is a crime punishable by a minimum of five years in prison...and as Naruto passed his Academy Finals, despite not being given a team, he is still counted as a shinobi of Konoha...thus rendering him an adult, by shinobi regulations" replied the Uchiha, who noticed Minato's face pale considerably.

_Well, they always said not to underestimate the power of denial, when it came to parents..._

Now if only his parents could learn that lesson.

*Back to Tayuya & Jiraiya*

*8 Years Later*

"This still leaves my questions unanswered, albeit I know now how Naruto came to be with Pein...but Konan? She was in on his conversion, too?"

Tayuya nodded, as she reclined in get chair, crossing her and behind her had.

"Look, let's say that you don't have the best track record with students, ok? Look at how _He _ended up..." smirked Tayuya, a she watched the older man's face contort with rage.

Jiraiya clenched his fists, but quickly relaxed himself, closing his eyes.

Tayuya merely scoffed.

"Pathet-ugh!"

_*thwack!*_

Before the kunoichi could react, she felt a powerful hand fly across her right cheek, knocking her right off the chair.

"Don't push your luck, Tayuya...you know that the only reason you're alive, is because _he _ordered it, as part of the terms"

"Hahah! You really think so!? Damn, Konoha truly is foolish then...but what can we expect, from a village that ordered Ame to be bur-"

"I know damn well what happened at the Siege of Amegakure, Tayuya!" roared the Toad Sage, slamming his hands on the small table.

"Do you!? You think that shit makes it any better!? After all, YOU were the one who scarred _him_! YOU were there when Pein died!, and YOU caused _him _to snap! Blame yourself and your arrogant village!" screamed the redhead, as she leapt up from the chair.

Jiraiya sighed, knowing it was a lost cause to continue arguing.

"...fine...just...just continue...what happened after Konan picked up Naruto?"

Taking a few deep breaths, Jiraiya suffered as he remembered that horrible night, two years ago.

Tayuya, however, was still recovering from the disorienting blow to her face.

"...nothing much...I simply know parts of what Konan and Naruto talked about, but not all of their conversation...but what I do know, is enough to see where Naruto took his first step into who he has become today..."

*Kumogakure*

"I used to fear being the jinchuuriki,

Then I grew up to the Hachibi,

You could never come close to stopping me,

As a matter'ah'fact,

You couldn't even touch my ass,

If I was blind with both hands tied behind my back,

So yeah, I'm the champ, but I had to taste the dust,

Nobody would see me as a child,

So I had to earn that trust,

Grew up oh so wild, and in that while,

I saw it was me and Hachibi, only us, so shut up with that fuss, put yo' fists up,

Life was a fight, giving up wasn't right, so I kept it locked up tight, and I fought to the dead of night, holding up my head so high, see that weight on your shoulders is too damn light, for my might, my dreams soared to the sky, and you haters could never stunt my height!

I came in a little brat, little rookie of the year! And I'm still here, can't you hear!?

I'll never fall from this grace, never slow down my pace!

Back in dark, call me the black shinobi shark!

I tore my enemies apart! Ripped through their hearts, with a flow so sharp, it was like getting stabbed with a dart! An-"

"Bee! Enough! Just shut up, already!" roared Ei, the Raikage of Kumogakure, as he covered both ears.

The dark-skinned jinchuuriki merely grinned, his eyes hidden by his ever-lasting glasses.

"Yo, it's cool, bro! The trip to Konoha is still slow! Why the hurry to go?"

Ei let out a sigh, massaging his temple, as he felt one of his major veins nearing an aneurysm. Bee would one day cause his death from a stroke, if not a burst vein.

"I already explained it, Bee! We need to prove to the Leaf, that Kumo is solidly holding true to the treaty! Which means an annual shinobi roster trade, which unfortunately, ends in the usual disagreement that each other side's is cheating the other side..."

"Why bother with the trade? If everybody accuses of a business haze? Plus, with this war going on, isn't it a bad idea to lose shinobi?"

"Its part of the fragile treaty, that honestly...is the only thing holding Konoha and Suna from a unified attack on Kumo, and the weakened Iwa and Kiri...this continued way with the Akatsuki and Hoshoku has taken its toll on the villages...we need to maintain whatever momentum we have..."

"Ah, that make sense...but I'm still confused, I guess..."

"It's pointless, Bee, I know"

*Eight Years Earlier*

"So...why are you like you?..." asked Naruto, as he wrapped his and around Konan's shoulders, burying his face in the woman's neck.

"...I have seen many things in my life, and they shaped me as I am now...why do you ask?" she replied, barely even glancing in his direction, as she leapt from tree to tree.

"Because...my family hardly acknowledges me, and that's driven me to abandoning my village...I know you've faced far worse...so how did you grow stronger?..."

Konan closed her eyes, relying in her body's natural instinct to guide her in the right direction, as she began reminiscing of all her past memories.

"As a child, I grew in poverty and war...Ame, the Hidden Rain Village, was built upon a unmarked land, that was located right between most of the Five Great Nations...due to those conditions, we were constantly caught in the cross-fires of the surrounding villages, causing us to delve in a constant cycle of fear and anger..."

Naruto slowly took in a gradual, deep breath, attempting his best to quietly calm himself, and the things Konan said.

_Kyuubi...is this common? War and poverty...is it that common?..._

**War and poverty? It's as common as breathing is to humanity...suffering to you, is like hatred to me...your kind enjoys expanding upon it, through means of improving your own state of living, and even through self-proclaimed "acts of kindness"...**

_Acts of kindness?...how do they cause suffering? Aren't they supposed to help others?_

**If a man is holding a bank filled with innocent people, for a ransom...is he evil?**

_Of course! That's an obvious answer!_

**And what if the ransom was for an operation, needed to save his daughter's life? Would you show him to escape with the money, or so him...and in the process, killing his daughter? Would you save the life of others, for the price of a young girl and the last remaining piece of hope left in a broken shel of a man?**

_...I...that's...but what if..._

**There are no "what if"s in real life, boy...every action you take will have negative and positive consequences...and it is a fact you will have to accept.**

_I...I understand..._

"...how did you break out of that cycle?..." he asked, his unruly bangs covering his eyes in a foreboding shadow.

Konan didn't bother with even opening her eyes, however, as she continued her way towards Ame.

"Who says I broke from it?"

"But...you're a strong shinobi...hoe could you still be in that st-"

"Simply because one is trapped, within a negative cycle, does not mean one cannot grow strong...we grew strong, because of our dream to improve, to correct this world"

"...how? How are you going to fix hundreds upon thousands? It's impossible, Konan..."

"Then perhaps Nagato can open your eyes, Naruto"

"Nagato?..."

"Yes...but we will speak of this no more, until we each the Tower of Ame, understood?"

"Yes, mam..."

Konan nodded, and for the first time in years...cracked just a millimeter of a smile, across the corner of her lips.

_He's meant for great things..._


	3. I'm The Meantime

_**What's up people? Again, it's been a few weeks.**_

_**Here's the next chapter, and I hope you enjoy it! As I said, I'm literally writing this up in my phone...so, there's no good spell check, nor any form of revising (aside from re-reading it all).**_

_**Anyway, thank you for the reviews and support!**_

_**Also, it's going to get even slower now that I started heading to the gym, too...so my afternoons are busy as hell.**_

_**...**_

_"Na-Naruto..pl-please...why did you do this!?" asked a young woman, her crimson-red hair waving in the wind; split into nine ends._

_Just a few meters ahead of her, a spiky-haired blonde teen stood with his arms crossed. His shinobi vest torn and burnt at the waist, revealing an equally worn mesh under shirt. His skin was bruised and cut at multiple areas, yet he merely stood there; his face contorted in a look of pride and anger._

_"...because, Narumi...I trained and pushed my body and mind to the very edge of my limits and even further beyond...yet no matter how hard, nor what I did, I was still cast in your shadow...I, the Savior and Guardian of our people, was constantly living in the wake of my own clown-sister! That fact, that nightmare, was thrown into my face all throughout my childhood! I realized, when I left, that despite whatever action I took...mother and father would never acknowledge my presence, with you..."_

_"...Naruto...but why? Why join Pein!? He killed innocent civili-"_

_"Did you think I didn't know that, baka?" replied Naruto, his voice snapping his younger sister at mid-sentence._

_"Wh-what?..."_

_"I knew perfectly well, that he planned to attack Konoha...I created the very outline to the invasion!"_

_"Why!? Our people died! Our mother was hu-"_

_"Do I look like I care!? I joined Pein, because I knew that by joining his cause, he would train me! I knew that by aiding him in his attack, I would gain the skill I needed! And with that, the difference in our own power would disappear!"_

_"Y-you...everything...everything was your doing..."_

_Letting out a menacing laugh, Naruto tossed his head back, in mirth._

_"Hahahaha! That's right, little sister!...I hated every single one of you self-righteous Konoha shinobi..and yet, at that final moment...when I ordered the invasion...I hesitated..."_

_"..."_

_"...I hesitated, because I awoke one morning, not long ago...to realize that I had become attached to you, and your friends..."_

_"Naruto..."_

_"I, the last of our true bloodline, the last of a dying breed...had begun to settle down with the same people who had neglected me as a child...I even began to fall for a girl, who never cared for me..."_

_"Ino lov-"_

_"Shut up! Do you honestly believe I'll fall for that again!?"_

_"It was a misunderstanding! Her and Shika were never th-"_

_"I said shut up! You all lied to me! Manipulated my own emotions!...and still, the irony, was that I was only moments away from accepting Konoha as a nice place to live...at least until Konan and Pein showed me the truth..."_

_"...but you never allowed others to help you...why them? Why Konan and Pein!?"_

_"Do you not understand? They came to offer me, what all of you denied me...a place of my own, where I was seen for my own accomplishments..."_

_"How can you say that!? They tried to kill you!"_

_"At the Inter-Village tournament? No, Narumi, that was where I realized the potential of what Ame truly offered me..."_

_"You mean...that's where..."_

_"Yes...that's where I joined Pein...I watched Hanabi Hyuuga's progress, at the tutelage of Konan...and I knew right away, that I had to go back to them..."_

_"Th-then why?...why stay with us? Why lead us on!?"_

_"Because, sister...how else, would I keep Konan informed on your defenses?"_

_"Wait, you...you were her informant!? Then it was you that I sa-"_

_"Yes, that was me, that you openly caught...and still, you couldn't come to the obvious conclusion"_

_"Th-then wh-"_

_**"I see you took the pleasure in blabbering away the plan, Uzumaki...how expected" **__thundered a powerful voice, causing both teens to whirl around in shock._

_"You!"_

_..._

_"Ma-Maybe...that Big Bomb Rasen-Shuriken...combo was pu-pushing it...a bit..." gasped a much older Narumi, as she grabbed her right arm. It was horribly burnt, the internal damage from her jutsu now externally visibly._

_"Pa...pathetic..." groaned Naruto, as he limped beside his sister, his entire body battered and bleeding._

_Narumi could only stare in awe, as he practically dragged himself onward, without once glancing back at her._

_"...go...n-now...I have one final technique left, Narumi..."_

_"No! L-let me help! I ca-"_

_"No, you can't...g-go...now..."_

_Just as she was about to continue protesting, Narumi felt a hand strike swiftly at the back of her neck, before being overcome in blackness._

_"...Naruto...you know you won't survive.." stated a silver-haired shinobi; his one open eye focusing on the blonde._

_"...I know, Kakashi...now carry her away from here..."_

_"...you weren't ever planning on de-"_

_"Get away from here..now, Kakashi..."_

_"...she was lucky to have a man like you..."_

_"...Kakashi..."_

_"What?"_

_"...tell her, that she's beautiful...and I'll save her a seat in the afterlife..."_

_"...alright..."_

_..._

_"Let's finish this...Madara..." huffed Naruto, his bangs hanging over his eyes from the sweat and blood that covered his brow._

_"...I must ad-admit...that you were th-the biggest...challenger in a while...Uz-Uzumaki...but you lost, child...as soon as the full moon arises, I will activ-"_

_"I have one last jutsu left, you pompous relic...and it will end you...once and...for all..." smirked Naruto, as he began going through his hand signs; every muscle in his arm screaming in pain the slightest movement._

_"Ba...Bakudan...no...Tensei!" roared the blonde, aiming his palms at the Uchiha legend, who was frozen in place._

_"H-how did yo-"_

_"Aaggh!"_

_Snarling, Naruto was dragged a few feet backwards, as a powerful beam of pure energy blasted outwards towards the Uchiha._

_**...if you finish this attack, it'll kill us both from chakra exhaustion...**_

_'I kn-know...'_

_**...to death and beyond?**_

_'T-To...death and...be-beyond...'_

"NARUTO!" cried Kushina, as she shot upwards, clutching at the bedsheets around her. She could feel herself break into a cold sweat from the thrashing she caused amidst her nightmares.

"-ushina! Kushina! Wake up!" yelled Minato, as he pinned her down, attempting his best to prevent herself from getting hurt.

"Naruto!Naruto! Don't!"

Realizing she had gone into a bit of hysteria, Minato quietly slapped her, instantly calming the red head down.

"Wha-...Mi-Minato?..."

"...I'm sorry, Kushina...you...it was just...I don't really know what to do..." he sighed, shrinking back beside her.

In all his life, Minato had never backed down, nor given up, when it truly mattered...but he could not deny, that for the first time...he was utterly lost. He didn't know what to do, about anything.

The things that had once been routine for him, such as the slightest paperwork...now seemed like he was a Genin, attempting to stand against the Shodaime...

"...it's okay, Minato-kun...we...we're all just worried..." whispered Kushina, wrapping her arms around the blonde Hokage.

"...it's my fault, though...I should've been there, I shouldn't have put off Kabuto's trial for so long...Naruto must have gotten curious, and gone down to investigate...Kabuto must have tricked him..."

Kushina closed her eyes, taking a deep breath.

It hadn't been the same since Naruto's disappearance...and their family had taken its toll deeply.

Narumi hadn't come out of her room in days, and Minato had been forced to literally drag out just that same morning...

_What kind of dreams were those, though? They felt so realistic..._

...

"...that's not good enough, Naruto-kun...try again! I want you to finish the sequence quicker! And work on your stance! It's sloppy and disgusting!...and for Kami's sake learn to DODGE!" snapped Konan, her amber eyes growing cold, as Naruto fell hard to the ground.

As he sat up, he wiped off the sweat that was cascading down the sides of his face, before shortly standing back on his feet. Grimacing, he let out a groan as his muscles began throbbing from the pain and soreness of the past few weeks training.

Ever since Pein had assigned her as his mentor, he had undergone a complete overhaul to both his lifestyle and even clothes.

Konan had taken the old jumpsuit his father had given him, and replaced it with black cargo shorts, a mesh undershirt, and a black vest with orange outlines that only reached his mid-ribcage. She had also replaced his shinobi sandals with a new prototype shinobi boot, that was more durable, and chakra-sensitive, yet weighed less then the sandals.

It did serve to keep the dirt and sand out of his toes...which he had no complains about, whatsoever.

That did, however, bring him to the subject of his new mentor. Konan, despite her seemingly bi-polar attitude, had proven to be what he has always wanted, to an unnecessarily extreme extent. She had presented him with a strict no-nonsense method of training (in the form of chakra-based gravity seals), to add to her self-proclaimed, shinobi's diet. Although, he still had a hard time figuring out why she insisted in training barefoot...

_I sw-swear...she...she's going to...ki-kill me..._

**Shut up, boy!...marvel at the opportunity you have been presented! When a shinobi of sub-adequate potential offers to train you, appreciate it and take advantage!...it's difficult as it is, simply to find a shinobi of any recognizable talent, that carries no pathetic quirk...**

_Wh-what?...do you mea-_

**Dodge!**

Before Naruto figured out what the fox had meant, he was brought back to a painful reminder of reality, as Konan's smooth, yet hard-as-damn-steel, fist crashed directly into his jaw. Next thing he knew, he was airborne, flying straight into the hard dirt meters away.

"Focus, Naruto! Don't lose attention of your opponent for a single moment!" snapped the Angel of Ame.

Flipping onto his feet, Naruto wiped away a trace of blood from his lips, before nodding.

_Ignore the pain...ignore the pain..._

"Good, now I want you to charge at me! Let's go!"

Nodding at her orders, Naruto quickly dashed towards Konan, sliding at her feet at the last second, only to have her flip over him easily; lightly tapping the back of his head with her bare foot.

"Too slow, quicken your attacks and don't rely on last second movements!"

Dropping down to his hands, Naruto immediately proceeded to attempt a spinkick, whirling around in a hand spin. Konan, yet again, dodged the attack, by ducking down. She shot her hand up, grabbing the blonde by his ankle, and threw him backwards, into a tree trunk...leaving a large dent on the trunk.

"...don't attempt flashy attacks, unless they are guaranteed to produce the results worth the unnecessary energy cost" she stated, turning to face the blonde.

Nodding in approval, Naruto sighed, before wincing as a sharp pain shot across his back. He carefully tried to stand up, but discovered that his back was possibly injured severely, as it refused to allow him the slightest movement.

"...you'll need to spend a few hours in the Bio-Genesis tank, Naruto..." informed Konan, much to his chagrin.

"...not again..."

The Bio-Genesis tank, a name given to Pein's revolutionary medical miracle; was a large pod, that contained a special liquid that would cure the most life-threatening ailments, and even allowed the body to adapt a minor amount to it.

The first example, in Naruto's case, was when he shattered his left elbow, and utterly chakra-burned all his chakra-coils within his legs, in a training session. Not even eight hours in the Bio-Genesis, and the machine had broken down any loose bone fragments, rebuilt his elbow and damaged nerve-endings. His coils had been broken down by the liquid enzymes, then replaced with new ones that were more attuned to his training requirements.

Unfortunately, as Konan had told him, the Bio-Genesis came with its own price. Any more then four, perhaps five, uses within a lifetime, and the enzymes in the liquid would begin eating at your body's DNA structure, gradually mutating you into a mere puddle...figuratively. His overall-skeleton however, had been molded into a lighter, but much more flexible and durable bone variation.

The second case, however, was when he suffered a heart failure and pulmonary arrest, during training. That session in the Bio-Genesis had given him a far stronger cardio-vascular system, and strengthened his lungs drastically..it had also given him a much higher pain tolerance, each visit.

_Beautiful...I'm already up to three sessions...that leaves me possibly one more...I'd rather not risk it though..._

"...I'll probably have a spine of steel now..." he sighed, before Konan pushed his back forward with her foot.

"AAAAAGGHHHH!"

Falling down in sheer pain, Naruto felt his own spit dribbling down his chin, as Konan re-corrected his entire spine.

"Be grateful that the Bio-Genesis gave you a higher pain threshold...I doubt you would've stayed conscious, had you not been adapted to this..." she stated blankly. Naruto rolled his eyes, straightening up as the severe discomfort passed.

"Ugh...I think being out cold right now, would be a significant improvement...ah...that's better...has anybody ever told you, that you are a VERY strict taskmaster, when it comes to training?..."

"You are my first student"

"...nevermind..."

Letting a smile escape her lips, Konan shook her head, waving at Naruto.

"Let's go eat, Naruto-kun...then you can take a shower..."

"Yay!"

"But you're eating your vegetables!"

"Damn!"

_Slap!_

"I will not have you cursing, when there could be orphans around"

"...yes, mam..."

Strict, indeed.

~...~

*Eight Years Later*

*Tayuya's Interrogation*

"Okay, hold on, wait a second!"

Blinking, Tayuya stared at Jiraiya for a moment, before the elder shinobi sighed.

"What?"

"First of all, how did you know about Kushina and Minato's conversation? Second, you still haven't explained as to how, nor when, you met Naruto..."

Grinning, Tayuya sheepishly scratched her head, before shrugging.

"Well, it is going to be a long story...as for how I know what Kushina and Minato said...well, I can say this...as her former apprentice, I know a lot about what went down in Kushina's life..."

"You were her apprentice?"

"For a time, yes, but that's beside the point, anyway"

Sighing, Jiraiya looked down and shook his head.

_We might need a-_

"Has she said anything?" she'd a young girl, as she opened the door into the interrogation room.

"Actually, yes...but not a lot...she's telling us how Naruto grew up..."

Nodding, the young girl sat down.

Catching a glimpse of her platinum-blonde hair, and pale blue irises; Tayuya's face turned into a dead expression of no emotions.

"...why is she here?" she asked, causing the girl to flinch slightly.

"...Tayu-chan, I'm sor-"

"Don't call me that, Yamanaka, don't you ever dare call me that...after all the shit he did for you...you turned him in, and set him up..."

"It was for his own good! I didn't know it was a trap!"

Scoffing, Tayuya turned away, caring her back to Ino.

The blonde, however, took a deep breath, as she felt her eyes grow teary.

"Wh-what else happened?...continue the story..." she whispered, much to Tayuya's surprise.

"...fine..."

~...~

*Eight Earlier, Four Months After Naruto's Escape*

"...let's see...I need salt...sugar...carrots and eggs...broccoli, plus lettuce...I should get some beef and chicken, while I'm at it..." sighed Naruto, as he made his way through the food stalls in the Amegakure supermarket.

It had been only a few months since Konan had taken him under wing, and since Pein had taken it upon himself to teach him about politics and philosophy.

What had become interesting, however, was that Konan would constantly begin fawning over his diet and food choices. In addition, she would constantly keep an open eye each time he met a new friend, more keenly on the girls. Pein, despite his constant attempts to disprove otherwise, would grow irritated each time Naruto went out, late at night to go sight seeing around the village.

Each time he did, Konan would make subtle accusations, that he was to blame for not teaching the boy discipline quickly enough.

Pein would simply do the sane thing each time, and turn around to say, "Eh, your student, your responsibility".

_Now that I think about it...they're almost like family..._

"Oh! Be careful!" cried a small voice, as Naruto came to a sudden halt.

He had accidentally bumped into a young girl, not to much older then he. Possibly around fourteen, though...

"M-my bad!" he laughed, his face turning pink from the embarrassment, of how distracted he had been.

The girl waved her hand gently, brushing off his apology with a smile.

"No, no...it's alright, I'm sure you were merely thinking of something important..." she replied, earning a nod from Naruto.

"Y-yes...I was thinking of my mentor, Konan-san..."

"Oh? So are you Konan's new apprentice?"

"You know her?" asked Naruto, casting the girl a confused glance.

_Now that I look at it, she's actually cute..._

**Heheh...wait for it...**

_What?..._

**Just wait...**

"Heheh, of course...my mentor is the Commander for Amegakure's Guerilla Defense Tactics" she giggled, causing the blonde's jaw to drop to the floor.

"Wh-what? Commander?"

"Yes, that is right...oh no! I'm late! I'm sorry, but I must go! We have an important meeting soon, and I might be late!"

"Bye, miss!" smiled Naruto, before the girl smiled and leaned into his ear.

"By the way...my name is Haku, I'm a boy"

**There it is!**

"G-guy!?"

**Hahahah! I love it!**

_You ass! You knew!_

**I claim no such knowledge, boy...but I do say, that you're time is almost up for grocery shopping**

"Oh, crap!...let's see...I need salt...sugar...carrots and eggs...broccoli, plus lettuce...I should get some beef and chicken!.."

Deja Vu.

~...~

"You know, Itachi...it's been a while since I was sent on a mission...what about you?" asked Kakashi, as he sat down on a log to read to his favorite book.

Itachi merely shrugged, as he activated his Sharingan, examining his entire surroundings.

"It's been too long...I've almost forgotten the thrill of a challenge..."

Kakashi nodded, sighing as he flipped a page.

"...nowadays, the only real challenge is paperwork for the Hokage..."

"Yes...what was your last mission, Kakashi?"

"Mine?...it was a recon objective, near the Land of Rain...Amegakure, at the time, was in a civil war between Hanzo the Salamander and an extremist organization known as the Akatsuki...Minato sent me to scout the power of both sides...what was yours?"

"...an assault mission..."

"Oh? I never knew you did those?"

"Project Runway..."

"Wait...YOU were in that project?"

"Yes...it was to be an assassination on a renegade group, that compromised of known terrorist Deidara of the Rock, former swordsman Kisame of the Mist, and led by Orochimaru of the Leaf...it was a failure, however..."

"I heard about that...Anko and Kotetsu were placed in the hospital for almost two years, correct?...and...Asuma..."

"...died...yes..."

"Itachi..."

"Even to this day, Hiruzen has asked me to forgive myself for an action I could not have stopped..."

"..."

"But at the time, I allowed my arrogance to gain the better of me...my mistake put my team in a situation that forced Asuma to sacrifice his life for us..."

"...he died for a cause, Itachi...that's more then what many can say..."

"...true...but still, I refuse to show my face to Hiruzen or Kurenai"

"Ah, Kurenai...she had a crush on him..."

"How tragic, yet romantic...heheh" chuckled a voice from above the two Leaf Elites. Itachi quickly closed his eyes, as a small grin appeared on his face.

Kakashi sighed, putting his book down.

"Page Eighty-Nine...third paragraph..."

"Well, well...Kakashi Hatake...it's a shame you didn't bring backup..." laughed a second voice.

"...four of them, Kakashi...which do you want?"

Kakashi paused, before counting them out.

"Hm...I'll take Hidan and Kisame"

"Then I get Kakuzu and Sasori"

"Last to finish has to ask Anko on a date?"

"Deal"


	4. Did He Look Like A Bitch?

**What's up guys? I read the reviews, and I decided to slow down things. The reason being that it was going to fast for people to understand the plot.**

**That being said, this chapter was heavily influenced by Mirai Nikki and a mix of Pulp Fiction.**

**You'll see.**

XxXx~(^-^)/~xXxX

Patience, by all definitions, was an obvious virtue. It was, however, equally obvious to be amongst the weakest...possibly exceeded, only by humanity's inability to truly forgive others. Either way you looked at it, eventually both routes crossed, and somebody would eventually lack the patience needed, to forgive.

Such was that, in Naruto's current predicament.

He refused to accept the idea of forgiving the utter treachery, and foul play, that had been utilized by Konan in her most recent training session.

She forced him to activate his gravity seals, during a series of dodging rounds.

Without a warning.

"...honestly, would you quit being such a child, and actually give this some effort?" asked Konan, as she focused chakra to her chest and arms, to pick up a large rock; the size of Naruto's head.

"Ef-Effort!? You're throwing giant sto-"

"Dodge!"

Quickly widening his eyes, Naruto halted at mid-sentence, dropping nimbly to his stomach, in a push-up position. He could only wince, as he felt the wind above him break at the speed of the stone that flew past him overhead.

"You barely escaped that one! Pay attention! Your reaction time is barely that of a low-class Chunin!" snapped the blonde's mentor, as she picked up two more rocks.

_It's a good thing I woke up early to collect a moderate pile of stones, _she thought to herself, admiring the twenty-two foot tall pile of sediment.

"...c-can we seriously take a break!? I'm go-going to die here!" gasped Naruto. Konan simply stared at him, before hurtling both rocks in her hands at the blonde.

"Think fast!" she cried; not taking her eyes off the blonde for a mere moment.

As if on instinct, Naruto leaped into the air, using the first stone as a make-shift step, before he handspringed off the second projectile. Unfortunately, as soon as he landed, a foot crashed into his stomach, causing him to double-over in pain.

"...as I said...pay attention to your opponent" sighed Konan, before she noticed a scowl on the teen's face.

"Y-you...never said...you wo-would hit...ba-back..." he stuttered, clutching his gut. Konan felt her eye twitch, before she turned away.

"I never said that I wouldn't, did I?" she replied coldly, much to his surprise.

"...true...ugh...c-can we take a break, Konan-san?..." he asked, taking deep breaths.

"Fine, but only a half-hour break, then it's back to training"

"Understood..." nodded Naruto, as he watched Konan sit down on the edge of a small stream, where she gracefully slid off her shinobi sandals.

With a small bubbling sensation at the pit of his stomach, Naruto silently observed as she took her time, touching the surface of the water with her toes. After a minute of merely touching it, however, Konan carefully sank her feet into the water.

"...you know, I can tell you're watching, Naruto..." she stated, still looking at her own feet, as the blonde began to sweat.

_Cr-crap! She'll think I'm a pervert!_

"So-sorry! I didn't mean to!"

Letting out a soft, and surprisingly quiet, chuckle, Konan patted the grass next to her. Taking it as a signal to sit down beside her, Naruto complied, taking his spot.

He soon decided that this would be a good chance to ask her a question that had been on his mind the past few weeks.

"Hey, Konan-san..."

"Yes?"

"I have a question, if I may ask it..."

"Go ahead, Naruto...what is it?"

"You usually seem to have us train barefoot, despite the fact that we rarely fight as shinobi in those conditions...why is that?"

Growing silent, Konan took a few moments to gently splash the water with her feet, before looking at the sky.

"...because...it reminds me of what it was like for me, as a child growing up...life doesn't always present you with the conditions you might see as realistic..."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

Flashing her apprentice a warm smile, he blushed softly, before she turned to gaze at the few stars that were beginning to appear.

"...as a kid, I grew up in poverty, during the Third Great Shinobi War..."

"I remember reading about that...Amegakure was located in the middle of multiple Great Nations..."

"Yes, and as such, we were also subjugated to many skirmishes, battles, and wars...by the time I was born, this village had been ravaged in violence...so growing up in my childhood, I was dependent on adapting to a dangerous and fast-paced life, in order to survive..."

Biting his lower lip, Naruto held back his tongue, as he noticed Konan's somber look.

"...how did you escape that lifestyle?"

Casting him a surprised look, Konan turned back to to count the stars.

"In truth, I never really escaped...Amegakure is still torn apart by war, and I'm still living here...but for a few years, I was living in bliss with my teammates, Nagato and Yahiko...we were being trained at that time, by Jiraiya of the Leaf..."

"Jiraiya trained you?"

"Yes, for a while, before he left..."

"Oh...what about your teammates?..."

"...Nagato is in hiding, for good reasons...and Yahiko, he...well, he...you know..."

"...I'm sorry, Konan-san..."

Allowing a sad smile to escape her mask of indifference, Konan flinched slightly, as she felt Naruto's small finger wipe away a single tear.

"...I'm going to grow strong, Konan-san...for you, and for the orphans in Ame..."

"Naruto..."

"-so that none of them have to continue suffering...I'll be the protector of Ame"

Feeling a genuine laugh surfacing, Konan covered her mouth, before nodding. She gently patted Naruto's head, before laying down on the grass; her arms crossed behind her head.

_He'll be an amazing man when he grows up...I wonder what it would have been like, had the Yondaime Hokage not killed Hanzo all those years ago..._

"I see you two are enjoying your leisure time, correct?" asked a gruff voice, causing the duo to look back.

Standing with his arms crossed, was a tall man, his lower face hidden in a mask. He wore no shirt, and only a pair of slacks. Attached to his back, was a giant sword.

"...Zabuza...pleasure seeing you here...I wouldn't suppose Haku is accompanying you?"

"Heh, you may as well...I see your apprentice is here, too?"

Konan nodded, waving a hand between her student and the Ame Commander.

"Naruto, this is Zabuza, the Head of Ame's Guerilla division...Zabuza, this is, as you've figured out, Uzumaki Naruto...my apprentice"

"Pleasure to meet you, kid" smirked Zabuza, as he extended his hand out. Standing up, Naruto hesitated for a second, before carefully taking it. Almost immediately, however, Zabuza tightened his grip. Naruto, in return, began focusing chakra into his hand, strengthening his own.

This made Zabuza laugh, as he quickly let go.

"Haha! I like you, kid...trying to match me takes balls, and most people wouldn't think to do it...I see why Konan took you in...cautious, too. You don't see that in brats nowadays, at all..."

Naruto smiled, before sitting back next to Konan, who merely smirked at Zabuza.

"I told you, he has a high ceiling"

"Let's not get cocky, Konan...you've grown more outgoing, since Konoha entered high-tension with Kumo..."

"...I met their Hokage once, Namikaze Minato...he fought with Pein, during a raid on a Konoha vessel...roughly two years ago?

"I remember him talking about that, a while back" said Naruto, catching the two veteran shinobi by surprise.

Turning to the source of the sudden statement, Zabuza and Konan each stared at their blonde companion.

"...he was talking about the difficulty he had figuring out ways to bypass Pein's defenses...it seemed as if the Hiraishin no Jutsu allowed him the manner in which to draw near, yet Pein wouldn't allow any of his special kunai to get closer then a few dozen meters...it was actually frustrating to him"

Konan felt a small sense of pride well up inside her, before she shook her head.

"...in all truth, Pein was also frustrated at his conflict with the Yellow Flash...prior to Minato, Pein had never been in a situation, where he had to truly depend on pure defense, and was unable to go on the offensive...to be honest, I refused to believe it, until I watched him in person...the speed that the Hiraishin used was inhumane..."

"Father spent many years perfecting that jutsu..."

"Now that I think about it, did he teach you any jutsu? Even the weakest one?" asked Zabuza, his level of curiosity now peaking.

"No, he didn't teach me any of his..." answered Naruto, turning to look away. Konan scowled, feeling the injustice in his answer.

"Oh..."

Somewhat disappointed, Zabuza sighed.

_Damn, didn't even pass on a drop of knowledge onto the kid...that's cold_

"...but that doesn't mean I didn't learn any of them" added the blonde.

_I knew I loved this kid! By any means necessary, grow stronger!_

"I'm sorry that I'm late, my apologies!" stated Haku, as he landed next to his mentor. The feminine-featured boy scratched his head, before sighing. "There was a young girl near the central district that was in need of directions, so I offered to show her wh-"

"Save it, kid...as believable as your excuses are, which I admit they truly are, I happen to know that you were dining at the local ramen shop...so don't try to fool me" cut in Zabuza, turning a hard gaze onto the teenage boy.

Haku nodded sharply, before softening his features, and looking at Konan and Naruto.

"Konan-san, Naruto-kun, it's a pleasure to meet you...I see you're enjoying the afternoon sky..." he smiled, taking a glance at the slowly-appearing stars in the pink-and-purple skies.

While Ame was in general a rainy village, on the few occasions that the clouds would disperse, the setting sun would create a magnificent view.

It was on these occasions, that he had taken note, that Konan and Naruto had begun to simply relax, and hold conversations about life and their independent experiences. If they were fortunate, they would last hours on end simply chatting into the dead of night...in which case, they simply fell asleep under the starry sky.

So far, however, the shortest conversation they held, was only six hours long.

"You know...I'm really starting to appreciate this village...it's different from Konoha...but I like that..." yawned Naruto, as he watched Zabuza lean against a tree. Haku had already gone onto the lake surface, and begun creating an ice sculpture.

All in all, the people here, had more of an affect as a family, then his actual relatives had in Konoha.

_Oh yeah, I could definitely grow up here..._

"Oh! Naruto! That reminds me! I have an important document for you..." started Zabuza, tossing a small scroll at him.

Catching, Naruto opened it, reading the contents hungrily.

"...what...what is this?" he asked, confused at the directions.

Zabuza merely grinned beneath his mask.

"Your first mission! It's a rescue operation, near the outskirts of the Land of Fire" replied the Guerilla Commander.

Konan quickly shot up to her feet, grabbing the veteran by his jaw, and pulling him down to her eye-level

"Does the Hokage know about this!? Do you know the kind of problems this could us into!? If they spot Naruto, they'll take him away!"

"No! What kind of question is that!?...but due to their ongoing tendons with Iwa, they can't afford to spend troops on these petty missions"

"They won't take me away, Konan-san"

"Naruto, I know they wi-"

"No, they won't...because I refuse to abandon my promise to you...I will succeed in this mission, and I will come back...so, when should I leave?" asked the blonde, before the veteran shook his head.

"You have to meet your partner, first"

"Who is it?"

"Me" replied a male voice, from behind the blonde, causing him to turn around to see the source.

"...y-you!?" cried Naruto, stumbling backwards, as he caught sight of an old man with dreadlocks. His eyes were hidden by a pair of sunglasses, and he wore a worn-out yellow tracksuit.

"Yes, I'm me, and you're you...that's the basic principle of life" replied the elder, much to Naruto's bewilderment.

"N-no! You're Ch-Chen! The taijutsu master!"

"Eh? So even in these parts, I'm well known? Ho-...wait, you...I recognize you..."

"I'm Minato's son, yes...so why are you my partner? Aren't you a shinobi of Kono-"

"Was a shinobi, kid...I'm...dead, as the legal jargon goes...but to answer your question, I'm your partner, because this mission was requested by me, personally...although, I didn't expect Ame to send in a mere child"

"Don't underestimate me, old man...why is this mission so personal?" asked Naruto, drawing attention from Zabuza, Konan, and Chen.

_He's being very direct...almost business-like..._

"Because, kid...that rescue mission is to rescue my granddaughter" responded Chen, as he turned to gaze at the blonde.

"...your granddaughter? Azami, of I remember...she was only eight, the last I saw her in Konoha...who kidnapped her?"

"Some bandits, but I don't know who the leader was, I didn't catch a good look before their escape..."

"Did he look like a bitch?" asked Zabuza, butting in.

Naruto and Chen stared at the man, before shaking their heads.

"Yes...now answer this...will you accept, or not?"

Grinning, Naruto straightened up his mesh-shirt and black-orange short-vest.

"Heh, of course, old man! What kind of aspiring shinobi would reject his first mission!?"

XxXx~(^-^)/~xXxX

"...so this is what his room looked like?..." whispered Narumi, to herself, as she carefully closed the door to her brother's room behind her. She had made sure to stay home, when her parents had gone to a cookout by the Nara family.

_I've never been here, now that I think about it...actually, neither has mom, nor dad..._

Silently moving through the grand space afforded by Naruto's neatness, Narumi began noticing the contrast between her and her older sibling.

Where her floor was littered in scrolls and magazines, Naruto's was neatly vacuumed and clean. In addition, his books were organized by category, of Information and Combat. He had gone further ahead to sub-categorize the Combat section into Ninjutsu, Taijutsu, Genjutsu, and Tactical Principalities. She never could have imagined, nor believed, that her brother had kept this secret to himself.

_So...so much...order...how long did he spend cleaning? Where did he get the time? I always saw him training, when I looked..._

Catching a glimpse of a small red book, Narumi slowly reached for it; noticing the title.

'My Journal'.

_H-his...journal..._

Opening the small book, Narumi quickly sat down on the bed, glancing to her right. There was a portrait of Naruto, smiling as he held up a 'peace' handsign.

Grabbing it, she took out the photo, sliding it under her forehead hitai-atei.

Immediately, she began reading the entries Naruto had written, dating back to almost two years ago.

_**March 15,**_

_**I decided to maybe start writing my memories. I know I shouldn't, since there's a chance my parents might find it, but...I can't hold this in anymore. All they do is talk about Narumi, like I'm not even here. Narumi this and Narumi that. Why can't Naruto be like Narumi?**_

_**Maybe if they had trained me! How am I supposed to be like her, when they won't even give me a first step? I want to see father become Hokage, without getting into a single argument. I want to see mother and father raise a child without ever hugging or loving them.**_

_**Oh right, that was me.**_

Swallowing a lump in her throat, Narumi shut her eyes tightly, biting her lip as she began to sniffle.

_Na-Naruto!...it was my fault...my fault! My fault!_

"...you miss him that badly?" asked a voice, causing the young Uzumaki girl to jump up in shock.

"Sa-Sasuke!?" she squeaked, looking at the Uchiha heir, as he sat on the window sill, in a lazy fashion.

"...yeah...I've been coming here since Naruto left..." he replied looking around the room.

It was exactly as the blonde had left it.

"Wh-why?" asked Narumi, her voice still shaky.

Sighing, Sasuke looked at the sky outside, before shaking his head.

"...what's the point of growing strong, when there's nobody to rival you?" he asked. Narumi merely looked at him in a confused manner.

"What?..."

"Look, Narumi, let's be honest...Naruto was stronger then us, you know it"

"...what does that have to do with yo-"

"He was my role model"

"Wh-what?"

"He was...quiet, serious, and smart...he didn't get chased by fangirls, and he was the first to train and the last to leave...even the teachers would have to drag him away from the fields, sometimes..." replied Sasuke, drawing a nod from Narumi.

It was true.

"...I guess...he was like my brother...I was always jealous...Naruto never tried in the Academy, yet he would tie me in grades...it was like I was seeing Itachi, but younger...I always wanted to be like him..."

Carefully pulling out the picture of Naruto, Narumi stared at his form, admiring his honest smile.

_Naruto...I'll find you...I'll bring you back...and as long as it takes, I'll make it up to you..._

"...Sasuke..."

"Yeah?"

"I'm going to train...and I'll become Hokage...just so I can find my Naruto..."

Sasuke nodded, smiling at his best friend.

"Yeah...I'll help, too..."

_Wait...did she say, 'my' Naruto?..._

"What's wrong?..." asked Narumi, noticing Sasuke's confused expression.

"Huh? Sorry!...oh, uh...Narumi, I have a question..."

"What is it?"

"...did you...you know...have a crush on Naruto?..."

"Ugh, what!? What kinda question is that!?" she shrieked, causing Sasuke to hold his hands up in innocence.

"Just curious!...oh, hang on, I gotta go! Bye!" exclaimed the raven-haired boy, as he jumped away.

As soon as he was out of sight, Narumi quickly reached to one of Naruto's drawers. Pulling out one of his clean shirts, she placed it to her face, assuring the faint scent.

_I'll find him...I'll bring Naruto back..._

Had Sasuke stayed behind, he would've seen her sapphire-blue eyes gradually dilate, her irises growing a slight bit paler.

_I'll find you...I'll make us a perfect family..._

XxXx~(^-^)/~xXxX


	5. Even Heroes Can Be Liars

_**After reading my own work, I decided I mistook a step in the wrong direction with the original chapter. As such, here's a re-write! Completely different, and with SHOCKING-ASS plot twists!**_

_**I want to send thanks to everybody who has reviewed.**_

_**Special mention to SSJ3 Kyuubi Gohan, who's reviews just about all my stories, despite that they suck more balls then Sasha Grey and Bree Olsen in a porno.**_

_**Anyway, read and review!**_

_**Hope you enjoy!**_

_**I apologize in advance, for all grammatical errors I make.**_

_**Fun Fact That Nobody Gives A Shit About: 17% of women who admitted to swallowing during oral sex, showed a tendency to have healthier teeth and gums. (2011)**_

...-[(¥)-^^-(¥)]-...

_Drip._

The sounds of a lone water droplet falling into the small puddle below it echoed through out the silent hallways of the famed Tower of Ame. A sound that once would have been easily ignored, and tossed aside in the whirlwind of bustling shinobi running errands for Pein and Konan; now rang in deafening softness. Such was the ring, of loneliness. Despair. Loss.

Most importantly, to him, failure.

The failure of his first mission, his ability to protect his client...and a newfound friend.

"...he's broken, emotionally..." whispered Konan, as she leaned against the cold steel that formed one of the many walls around her and Pein.

"...he is...but, if he is to be the boy you claim he is...he will persevere through this crisis, and not only survive the damage...but thrive despite the suffering he has been presented with..." replied the shinobi demi-god, as he closed his eyes in concentration. It had been a while, since anything had truly worried him to an emotional extent.

It was strange.

"Stop, Pein...is this necessary? You know he understands our goal, so there's no actual need to make him su-"

"I am not making him go through this, to have him understand us, Konan..." started the orange-haired man, his eyes locking onto the azure-haired female. Konan quickly grew silent, attempting to register his statement.

"Wait...what do you mean?"

"He needs to get through this, to erase the idea that he will always have a successful mission, never once losing a comrade or client...in this village, we can rarely afford the naive...but I would rather he grew out of this, with support, then have it crush him later on..." replied Pein, sighing as he turned away.

Konan blinked, inwardly smiling softly at the sight of her childhood friend. It hadn't been much by many peoples' standards; yet, she knew that for him to have shown worry and caution for the boy's well-being was a large step to where he once stood emotionally.

Naruto was special, beyond those traditional definitions of a shinobi...

"...is Naruto-san alright?" asked a small voice, causing Konan to turn her head around to glimpse at a young girl, one of her eyes covered by a large brown bang.

"...you are the girl that returned with Naruto-kun, am I right?" she responded, earning a nod from her.

"Yeah, I came with him...he's my onii-san!" she loudly declared, surprising the Angel of Ame.

"...onii-san?"

"Uh huh! He saved me!...I promised Grandpa that I would keep him company, because he helped me..." she answered, her voice fading into silence at the mention of her grandfather.

Konan could only share her head, at the scene before her.

_I wanted to create a world with Yahiko and Nagato...a world where humanity didn't have a need to wage war, or kill needlessly...so...why does it seem more impossible to reach, with every passing moment?..._

"Your grandfather was..."

"Old Man Chen...yes...that's what everybody called him..."

"I apologize for your loss, Az-"

"Don't apologize...it was my responsibility, anyway..."

Hearing the low and emotionless voice of a familiar blonde, Konan and Azami, the young girl, whirled around to see him. His voice, however, was slightly raspy and hoarse from the lack of use the past few days.

"Naruto?...we all fail missions, at some point or another..."

"Maybe so, but this was my first mission, Konan-sensei...it was my chance to prove that your training had paid off, and that I was worth something..."

As realization gradually dawned on her, Konan began understanding his intentions. Naruto had never been interested in the mission for his personal gains, but rather for the opportunity to prove his own worth. Basing that assumption off the details which he had given her up to that very moment, she could assume that it had been an after-effect of the neglect his parents had given him. He had an inner-desire to gain the approval and acknowledgment of those around him.

_Even when raised within a privileged home, you grew up possessing the same desire that many lesser-privileged children dream of...Naruto..._

"It's not your fault, Onii-san..." started Azami, taking Naruto's hand in her own smaller one. An act that shocked both the blonde and the present kunoichi.

"Wh-what?"

Azami merely smiled, a hint of sadness in her features.

"...Grandpa Chen knew what he was doing...I know I'm small, but...I'm happy for him...Grandpa did what he did, for people he cared about..."

Feeling confusion set in, Naruto gave a soft and sad glance at his companion, before shaking his head.

"So how do you do it?..."

"Do what?"

"How do you stay happy, Azami? You just lost your gr-...I just had to watch somebody d-...I mean...it's just that I..."

For the first time in his life, having always been the one to held the voice of reason and calm, within his family in Konoha...Naruto found himself at a loss for words. He had never been the kind of person who could easily be tongue-tied, nor the one who'd choke on pressure. Then again, however...he had never been put in charge of his own mission...and now, his very first selection, and he had...failed.

"I am sad, Aniki...more then you think..."

"Then why are you s-"

"-but Grandpa Chen always told me, that in our darkest times, we shouldn't dwell on our losses, but rather learn from the events we undergo..."

"...for an eight year old child, you are very emotionally mature" started Konan, breaking the tension between Azami and Naruto. Azami blinked a few times, before nodding gently.

"...when I was younger, I always wanted my grandpa to be happy again...it became natural to me, to be a person's voice of reason..."

"It's still amazing that one so young as yourself, could be this far ahead..."

"The way I see it...the way the Yondaime once told us, it is better to die with a reason, then to live with uncertainty of your purpose..."

Naruto merely froze, remembering his father having told him that years ago. Letting out a small smile, he nodded silently.

Feeling a small sense of hope, Konan lost herself in thought, at the girl's statement.

_She helped Naruto cheer up that easily?...she speaks the truth, though...it's better to die for a reason worth sacrificing for...then to live a life worth no reason at all..._

Before Azami could react, Konan crouched down in front of her, placing a hand on the girl's head, before leaning her forehead against her's.

"...you're a very kind girl, Azami...you'll grow up to be a fine young woman...so I want you to make me a promise..." smiled the woman, much to Azami's sudden confusion and blush.

"H-huh?"

"Don't lose sight of who you are, and stay true to your beliefs..."

Nervously nodding her head furiously, Azami held on tighter to Naruto, her tiny eight-year figure, a mere diminutive form compared to Naruto's shinobi frame, even if he was only eleven.

Azami was never really the tallest girl.

"...I promise!"

Konan nodded, before looking at Naruto who now held a serious expression.

"...Konan-sensei...Azami-chan...I want to apologize..."

"Naruto-kun, look it's not yo-"

"No"

Shocked at being cut in the midst of her sentence, Konan turned to glance at Naruto, who now bore a look of determination.

"What?"

"I'm not apologizing for being sad, and yes, it is fault for how the mission turned out...I'm apologizing for the fact that I'm not training"

"What do you mean, Aniki?" asked Azami, perplexed art Naruto's outburst.

"I mean..."

Walking away, towards the door that led away from the Ame Council chamber, Naruto gave Konan and Azami one last look.

"...I'm never going to fail another missin again...I'll become stronger, and defend the people here, even if it's against Konoha"

With those final words, Naruto stepped out into the rainy streets of Amegakure, headed towards the only person that could grant the only request that could change his weaknesses.

_Pein._

...-[(¥)-^^-(¥)]-...

"...I...I...ca-can't...give...up..." gasped Narumi, as she held her injured left arm tightly.

She didn't why, nor how, her arm had been injured in exact detail; yet only the fact, that her left shoulder burned horribly when she attempted to move it. Her forearm also hurt when she attempted to tighten her fist, or even move her hand.

"Narumi...please stop, now" ordered Minato, as he did stood with his arms crossed. He didn't understand why Narumi had so suddenly developed an urge to train to this extent, yet he had a feeling it wasn't for the right reasons.

He could label it a father's intuition.

"I...I'm going to...br-bring back, Naruto...I'm go-going to make this...fa-family whole...again..." she groaned, wiping a small trail of dried blood from her lips. She couldn't deny it, when she had told her father to punch her at full strength.

It was an error on her part.

"Narumi...tell me, why do you have such a sudden interest on your brother?" asked Minato, curious as to why his daughter had grown attached to Naruto. It hadn't actually been so much the 'why' ass it had been, when and how, she had developed those feelings.

He knew that she and Naruto never saw eye-to-eye, despite his lapse of judgment. So why was she so intent on training got him?

He should've been happy, but...something felt off...

Narumi merely grunted, before standing up correctly, much to her shoulder's pain.

"I...he...he's my...aniki...so I'm...go-going to become...stronger...I'll bring him ba-back..."

Minato merely shook his head, before walking over to the young girl, hugging her tightly in a flash.

"Narumi...bringing Naruto back isn't just about strength..." he whispered, closing his eyes, thinking about the conversation he had earlier with Kakashi.

_Kabuto couldn't have gotten escaped those chakra suppressing seals, nor the double-layered steel bars...not without any outside help...and now that I come to think about it, why would Naruto have been anywhere near the detention cells? He shouldn't have been around the Interrogation Department, to begin with...honestly, the more I look at it, the more it seems to be that Naruto hel-_

"Minato?" asked a voice, whom he immediately recognized to be Mikoto's. Turning around, the blonde Hokage smiled and waved, as did Narumi.

"Mikoto-san!" cried Narumi happily, much to Minato's pain; clutching his ear. Mikoto simply gave her traditional warm, yet casual smile.

"Hey, Narumi-chan, and hello, Minato-kun" she replied, before giving the young girl a deep hug.

"Sasuke asked me to let you know that he's visiting Itachi later on, if you wish to join him...although, I'd suggest you wash up a bit..." giggled the Uchiha matriarch softly, much to Narumi's embarrassment.

"H-Hai!" she stuttered, before running off, leaving the two adults alone.

Minato could only watch his daughter's fading form, before glancing at the Uchiha female.

"...so why did you come, Mikoto? You know that after that n-"

"I know perfectly what the deal was, Minato...but do you honestly expect nee just forget what happened?"

"Mikoto, look, we can't d-"

"I know what the implications are! Don't you think I'd realize what the ramifications would be, should Fugaku or Kushina find out?" snapped the Uchiha matriarch, as she stepped forth the lock gaze with the Hokage.

"I...what I meant was...Mikoto...look, and please understand, that what happened that might wasn't what you think..."

"Wasn't it?" asked Mikoto, as she placed her hands on his chest, the soft fabric unable to hide the lean and defined chiseled chest underneath. It was she liked the most about him...physically, that was.

The slender, yet solid, muscular frame her possessed...the steel-cold blue eyes, that still managed to display an unwavering sense of care and love. It only served to paramount his external features. It all, however, began at his chest. The square, yet cut, pectoral muscles that connected his well-fitness biceps and triceps...it brought out a side of her, that she had long-since thought buried.

He left her speechless, yet brought out the most intelligent and powerful sense of independence. She would feel her knees begin to buckle when she would witness him cast his signature sheepish grin.

"Wh-what are you doi-"

Before Minato could raise his question, he felt Mikoto's lips press against his mouth, causing him to lose balance. Immediately, he felt his back hit the grass fields beneath them, as Mikoto straddled his lap.

He could already feel...something coming to attention..

"Mikoto! Are you insane!? Kushina could be coming along at any moment and w-"

"I know, Minato...I love Kushi-chan...she's like the sister I never had, but...this...us...I refuse to give up what we had that night when you realized Naruto-kun wasn't captured...I gave you comfort, Minato..."

"Mikoto, I was drunk! Jiraiya-sensei and I had gone to a bar with Kakashi to help mellow out our th-"

"That's not what you told me!" cried Mikoto, her voice cracking.

Minato could only stare helplessly, as the strong and ever-graceful matriarch of the Uchiha, began to break down before him.

"...Mikoto-chan..."

"You said you loved me!...yo-you said I was beautiful, Minato...you promised that I'd never be alone, and...that I'd always be able to co-count on you...even if Kushina was your wife..." she stuttered, tears gradually forming in her eyes, as she feebly hit Minato; her strength and will drained.

"...I did..."

Letting out a quite gasp, Mikoto felt two powerful arms wrap around her waist, before she was pulled forward, kissing Minato. She didn't bother questioning what happened, as the blonde hoisted her up, causing her to ensnare her legs around his waist.

She wasn't going to let this moment go to waste.

...-[(¥)-^^-(¥)]-...

"Uzumaki Naruto...do you know what you are asking me to do for you, right now? Have you the slightest idea of the implications that could follow us, should I grant you this request?" asked Pein, as he read over the documents the young blonde had given him just moments ago.

"I do, Pein-san" he replied quietly.

_It's one thing to simply state I'm going to train...but Pein still scares me..._

"...and you sure about this? Because in brutal honesty, Naruto...I don't even know why I'm even considering agreeing to this...you are asking me to pull aside two shinobi prospects, whom match specific qualities, in addition to any given Anbu Operative with extended general knowledge in just about every known field? Do you have any idea, at just how ridiculous and downright stupid, it is for me to pull somebody like that aside?"

"I wouldn't say it's that ridiculous, sir...it's been a while since I got to set foot outside these walls publicly, anyhow" stated a mysterious voice, as a figure stepped out from the shadows behind Pein.

"You? I'm shocked that you returned so early from the assignment you were handed, Shisui"

"Sh-Shisui?" stuttered Naruto, falling backwards on the ground. Shisui raised an eyebrow, before shaking his head.

"Even Naruto left? What is this? Trade-A-Shinobi week? I'm gone for a year or so, and Kumo gains the Fuma clan two days ago, Kirigakure began building an outpost near the Uzumaki ruins just yesterday, and now the Yondaime Hokage's son is a ninja for Ame? What's next? You want me to teach kids how to dance the Waltz?"

"I need you to take on Naruto as your personal apprentice for advanced shinobi arts"

Shisui cursed his loud mouth.

"...you haven't assigned him a sensei?"

"Somewhat, yes...Konan is more of an acting-mentor and guardian"

"Oh"

"Tell me Shisui, I do have a question..."

"What is it, Pein-san?"

"What would you say, if we were to create a branch within Ame to select future prospects, and place them in specialized units?"

Crossing his arms in front of his chest, Shisui locked his gaze onto Naruto's, who shyly looked down to the ground.

"I've heard rumors that Ame had gained a raw talent a few months ago, though nobody ever mentioned it was the Yondaime Hokage's son...as for your question, it is debatable...do you at least have a prototype team, with whom we can test this project?"

Shaking his head, Pein closed his eyes, before looking out a window towards a small academy in the distance.

"Not at the moment, no...but I'm going to grant you permission to go to the Academy, and test all the youngest recruits...whomever you and Naruto deem worthy, shall be your subordinates"

"Naruto? You're granting him the right to selection?"

"He's the heir to Namikaze Minato, an Uzumaki by blood, and a direct apprentice to Konan for the past few months...his debut mission was...distasteful...but still to be expected, when two C-rank criminals are involved"

"I see...in that case, come Naruto...I have a series of tests for you"

Standing up, the young blonde teen bowed, following Shisui, who was on his way towards the Ame Training fields.

_I won't stay weak, I'm going to grow strong...then I'm going to show all of Konoha just who the real golden child is...I'll get them back for placing Narumi above me..._

...-[(¥)-^^-(¥)]-...

For the first time since her Genin training days, Mikoto was a mess. She didn't know what to do, or what to say. The only thing her mind could process, was to match the rhythm of each thrust, that came from the man that had her bent over against a tree in the middle of the night.

"Mi-Min-Miiinatooo" she moaned quietly, feeling the heat coming from his body, each time he touched her. It only grew worse, as he would follow every thrust with a slow, but deep, grinding motion. It simply served to bring her closer to losing her mind.

"M-Mik-Mikoto..."

Hearing him groan her name, the Uchiha female turned to look at him. Within an instant, she gazed into his eyes, noting their glazed look as he made eye contact with her.

"M-Minato..." she whispered, mentally berating herself for sounding like a schoolgirl that couldn't say anything other then a name.

Picking her up, Minato slowly turned her around, causing Mikoto to lift her legs up, placing her heels at his shoulders. She let out a small squeal as she felt his hands roam down to her rear, for support.

"Pl-please...Minato...h-harder..."

Leaning into her neck, the Yondaime quickly stepped back to use the same tree as support.

_Da-damn...I'm getting cl-close...no-not now...she has to fi-finish first..._

Finding a new sense of determination, Minato began thrusting deeper, lifting and slightly dropping Mikoto. He quickly received the results he had been looking for, as the former-kunoichi began gasping at each motion.

"H-ah...ooh..."

Feeling a burning sensation build in her stomach, Mikoto bit her lip as she shook her head vigorously.

_N-no! Please not yet! We j-just started! Just a little b-bit longer!_

Latching herself tighter onto him, Mikoto started to grind her hips, only adding onto the pleasure she was already giving him and herself. Before they could stop it, both Mikoto and Minato shared one last kiss, before they both geeky the impeding climax.

"Miinatooo!"

"Miikotoo!"

She didn't realize their mistake, until it was too late, the familiar hot-liquid sensation already shooting through her, again and again.

They didn't have protection, and Minato had just finished inside her.

...-[(¥)-^^-(¥)]-...

Gazing around once again, Narumi carefully took her time to examine Naruto's room once again. She really didn't know what it was about it, that made her love it, but...each time she came to visit, she find herself grabbing his shirts and smelling them. The scent Naruto had left behind, was intoxicating.

She never would admit to anybody, except herself, but she had begun to keep, and carry, his signature goggles, in order to remember his departure.

_Nobody touches his things but me...nobody touches his things but me...nobody touches his things but me..._

She knew most people would say that she was taking his loss too hard, but what did they know? What did they know about losing yet only person that kept you grounded to reality?

_I'll bring you back Naruto-kun...then we can be happy together, and I'll make sure that you never feel bad again..._

"Yo, Narumi? You ok?" asked Sasuke, as he stepped into the room, from the window.

"Yepp! Time to go! Kakashi'll be waiting for us!" she smiled, as the young Uchiha nodded, before leaving.

_She's hiding something,_ he thought grimly, before casting a hidden look at the girl. Almost immediately he felt a pang of terror run through his spine.

She was grinning.

Madly.

At a picture of Naruto.

"Oh Kami..."


End file.
